About The Travel Chica
The central themes of this site are:
– Independent Budget Travel
– Consuming Less
– Living Simply
– New Experiences and Challenges
I will post about how to do it, why to do it, my experiences doing it – the good and the bad. And I hope you will share your thoughts on these topics as well. I hope to introduce you to new places and experiences, inspire you to go out and explore the world, and perhaps provide a little entertainment.
About Me
I am on sabbatical. According to Wikipedia, a sabbatical is “a rest from work, or a hiatus, often lasting from two months to a year.” I know that’s a strange concept for most of my friends and family, but as I’ve traveled and met people from different cultures, I realized that it’s not that strange. It’s just not part of the culture in the US.
So what does a sabbatical mean to me?
It means taking the time to focus on the things that are really important to me. It doesn’t necessarily mean not working, but the “work” I do will be interesting, fulfilling, and fun. I want to take this time to focus on photography. I want to become the best photographer I can be, focusing on my composition and technical skills. I want to travel to places I’ve never been, experiencing new cultures, living minimally, and making connections with people from around the world. For years I’ve thought that the greatest career would be travel writing and travel photography. If you can earn a living not just doing something you love but also living your ideal lifestyle, then that’s living the dream.
I want to change my lifestyle. I want to slow down. I want to be more aware of my surroundings. I want to be more aware of myself. I do not want every moment of my day to be scheduled. I do not want to be constantly connected and available. I do not want to feel an urge to check my email and Facebook from my iPhone the moment I’m not busy doing something. Of course, I’m not going to completely disconnect. After all, I do have this site to update, and I want to stay in touch with family and friends. I’m simply looking for a cure for the ADD epidemic created by, well, ourselves. I want to wake up not knowing what the day may bring. I want to learn something new everyday. I want to connect with people from different backgrounds and cultures.
